I have eaten a lot of things that most people would never even try, so a couple of years ago I thought about giving coots a try. I thought they must be good for something. How bad could they actually taste? After all, they eat them down south - right? I cut open the skin to breast one out and saw the darkest red, nastiest looking meat I had ever seen. I ended up throwing it out. I was honestly going to give it a try until I saw and smelled the meat. They can have all they want down south. I won't be eating any up here.

I have $23.72 that says I can make a coot edible and some would say down right tasty (given a truthful tester) Not sure if I can divulge any of my recipes yet, given the large amount of cash involved, but I will offer this. Soaking the fillets in milk or buttermilk, changing a few times, can help "tame" the meat some.

Instead of the "Iron Chef" as seen on food tv we could hold FBO's version and call it the "Steel Chef" (little waterfowl pun there...hee, hee, hee) competition and hold it in backyard stadium. The best part would be that stinky 'ol Coot could be our secret ingredient! Now if we can just find 3 unsuspecting folks to taste and judge our culinary creations...any takers; there might be some free beer and a barf bag in it for ya?

Believe it or not I saw a carp battle on The Iron Chef a couple months ago. I told all my carp shooting buddies about it. I can't believe anyone would think the nastiest bottom-feedingest, sh!t-coloredest fish is a delicacy. The used the fins, scales, heads, tails, guts...everything. And as always on The Iron Chef, some of the dishes were served raw. Raw carp, boy that sounds pretty damn tasty! And of course the judges loved it. Those people must have iron stomach's to judge some of the stuff I see prepared on that show. I am actually really surprised I haven't seen a coot battle yet. I think it would be perfect!

I really liked the boot coot recipe, but here's an alternate if that one doesn't satisfy you.

Yes, the meat is dark and yes, the birds do stink.
So, clean the five breasts well and rinse, rinse, rinse with clear clean cold water.
Then soak your 5 coot breasts in about 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3-4 tablespoons of vinegar overnight.
Empty vinegar brine and rinse breasts until water is clear and clean.
Put the breasts in a slow cooker with Famous Daves BBQ sauce (or whatever your favorite BBQ sauce is) - enough to cover them well - something like 1/2 - 3/4 cup of sauce should do the job if you have a small (e.g. 1 quart size) slow cooker.
Let them simmer in the slow cooker for 3-4 hours.
You will now have very tender breasts that taste like BBQ, not like stinking coots.
Really, I'm not kidding.

doublea Said:
FBO's "Steel Chef" in backyard stadium. The best part would be that secret ingredient! Now if we can just find 3 folks to taste and judge our culinary creations...there might be some free beer in it for ya?

What kind and how much ? I know 3 guys that like to eat and they will work for beer, I will pass it on to them.

I will try most anything, once...Even coot.....But I personally would never shoot a coot, especially with intentions of eating it. If I happen to come across somebody serving some coot up, I'd give it a try though.

I don't doubt there are methods of cooking the coot to make it edible.

I have had smoked carp before.....Surprisingly, it was pretty damn good. Had a smoked salmon flavor to it, but not as strong....Just have to pick around a lot of big bones.

Carp ain't really bad out of cold water,,nor warm for that matter,,,just scale em fillet em ,,leave the skin on,,,and rinse rinse rinse,,they are a lil bloody...Then ya score em,,,,just take a good knive and slice the fillet from top to bottom bout 1/4" apart just down to the skin. Cut into serving size pieces,,,,,Roll in Andy's fish fry and cook in really hot oil,,,thru the scoring process you have cut thru the fine bones by cooking in the hot oil ya pretty much cook the bone out,,,,,ain't walleye but don here hen he catfish are on the nest and we're river fishin.....we eat em...Lots of folks buy em for fish fries in these parts...that have a different flavor,,,,kinda meaty,,,don't eat the skin,,,the meat ain't bad,,,some forlks prefer a lil catsup...

I really liked the boot coot recipe, but here's an alternate if that one doesn't satisfy you.

Yes, the meat is dark and yes, the birds do stink.
So, clean the five breasts well and rinse, rinse, rinse with clear clean cold water.
Then soak your 5 coot breasts in about 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3-4 tablespoons of vinegar overnight.
Empty vinegar brine and rinse breasts until water is clear and clean.
Put the breasts in a slow cooker with Famous Daves BBQ sauce (or whatever your favorite BBQ sauce is) - enough to cover them well - something like 1/2 - 3/4 cup of sauce should do the job if you have a small (e.g. 1 quart size) slow cooker.
Let them simmer in the slow cooker for 3-4 hours.
You will now have very tender breasts that taste like BBQ, not like stinking coots.
Really, I'm not kidding.

That's why you should only shoot them out of season. Then you don't dare retrieve them and the "you must eat it" rule is nulified.

Genuine conservatism promotes cautious and prudent change, respect for tradition, stewardship, humility, responsibility and fact-based decision making. It is concerned with both individual and societal well-being. With regard to government, conservatism favors a government that is lean, efficient and effective -- not impotent.

Genuine conservatism promotes cautious and prudent change, respect for tradition, stewardship, humility, responsibility and fact-based decision making. It is concerned with both individual and societal well-being. With regard to government, conservatism favors a government that is lean, efficient and effective -- not impotent.